Arc 5: Chapter 33
The world.
Lin Yuan.
If the day came that he had to choose one between the two, Xie Hanzhou already had an answer in his mind for a long time.
“What would I do?” Xie Hanzhou laughed softly, and rubbed Lin Yuan’s cheeks gently. His slender fingers slowly stroked the youth’s soft skin, as if he was unwilling to ever part. He looked at Lin Yuan’s sleeping face with deep and quiet eyes, like an endless abyss. The possessiveness seemed to be able to manifest into invisible chains that bound the youth’s body.
“You’re asking the wrong person. Ask the world to choose between us being together, or losing their strongest Heavenly Realm cultivator. The risks and benefits are obvious, do you think they wouldn’t know what to choose?”
Yu Sui’an was not too surprised by his answer. After all, his own choice was the same. He still commented roughly: “The vulnerable Immortal Sovereign is actually willing to abandon all living beings for love. If your disciples at Pure Jade Palace heard you, they’d probably think you’d been possessed by some demonic force.”
Xie Hanzhou raised an eyebrow silently, and corrected: “I have not abandoned all living beings. If the world is in danger, I will naturally act.”
“And I am not the Immortal Sovereign—patricide and now breaking worldly conventions by being with my disciple—I am not worthy.”
Yu Sui’an hummed perfunctorily: “Okay, Immortal Sovereign. By the way, Immortal Sovereign, how about we set aside these deep questions and talk about something more important?”
Xie Hanzhou thin lips pressed into a straight line, and he had half a mind to draw his sword. But he was the one who let Yu Sui’an appear, this was all karma. He asked coldly: “What important matter?”
Yu Sui’an chuckled and his eyes flashed like glass shards: “Xie Hanzhou, have you ever considered that on the night we form our bond with Lin Yuan, will it be you first, or me first?”
Actually, Xie Hanzhou had thought about this before. He refused to back down, and seeing that Yu Sui’an brought it up first, he knew that Yu Sui’an was scheming something. He said lightly: “Say what you want to say. Don’t beat around the bush.”
“Xie Hanzhou, the one who goes first will be taking a big advantage. I want it, and you want it too. So why don’t we do it like this, whoever goes first, the other can go twice as much for the next three years.”
Yu Sui’an pinched Lin Yuan’s cheek affectionately and looked at the little liar’s peaceful and ignorant sleeping expression: “Sui Sui, if your master goes first, you have to keep an eye on him in the future. If he can’t control himself and goes three times one night, then the next time we’re together, I will make it six times.”
“Oh~ our little Sui Sui is going to have to work hard in the future, how pitiful~”
Xie Hanzhou imagined that scenario and clenched his fist until his nails almost drew blood. But Yu Sui’an was right, he desperately wanted that advantage.
“Three years is too long. One year.” Xie Hanzhou’s voice was deep and cold, like the bitter winds on a northern night.
Yu Sui’an sneered: “Cutting down two-thirds of the deal right at the start, don’t you think you’re too much, Immortal Sovereign?”
Xie Hanzhou slowly lowered his eyes and said lightly: “If you don’t agree, then you can go first. It was because of you that we are here now, I can naturally give up this one night. But for the next three years, you’ll have to let me have my way.”
Yu Sui’an had also wanted to go first, this desire seeped into his very bone marrow, but even more, he wanted to make Xie Hanzhou angry to death in the long run.
But now it was obvious that Xie Hanzhou had seen through his thoughts. If he accepted, then he would only be able to make Xie Hanzhou mad for a year. If he rejected it, then Xie Hanzhou would make him mad for the next three years.
Yu Sui’an said with dissatisfaction: “Why don’t you let me go first, and then you can have your way for the next year?”
Xie Hanzhou smiled faintly: “That’s not the deal. You were the one who proposed one night for three years, and I proposed one night for one year.”
Yu Sui’an felt the urge to curse. Xie Hanzhou, this dog, was truly insidious and cunning. Obviously this whole scheme was his idea, but he had ended up getting the short end of the stick.
“Fine, one year it is.” Yu Sui’an sighed and compromised helplessly: “Also, Immortal Sovereign, have you hugged him enough? Give him to me, it’s my turn.”
Xie Hanzhou didn’t argue with Yu Sui’an over this, but he was somewhat doubtful. “Can you do it?”
Yu Sui’an knew Xie Hanzhou was honestly asking, so for once, he didn’t squabble. He reached out his hand: “Let me try first.”
The result was Yu Sui’an couldn’t do it. Hundreds of years of torment and suffering couldn’t just disappear overnight. But it was slightly better than before.
Yu Sui’an was in the process of healing, and the wounds were slowly scabbing over.
⋅ ˚ ₊ ‧ ୨୧ ‧ ₊ ˚ ⋅
Xie Hanzhou had used less force when knocking Lin Yuan out, but Lin Yuan slept all the way until the afternoon of the next day.
Yu Sui’an looked at the groggy young man, and waved a hand in front of the other’s eyes. He called out with a smile: “Sui Sui…”
His voice was incredibly pleasant, like the soft drizzle of spring rain that gently sprinkled around Lin Yuan like a lingering melody of affection.
Lin Yuan gradually woke up and saw Yu Sui’an clearly. The man’s face was now a much more healthy color, and his jewel-like pupils carried a hint of laughter. He was still stunning, like a rose in full bloom or the bright moon over a vast forest.
“Yu Sui’an, you… you’re okay!”
Lin Yuan’s eyes reddened and they quickly became misty with tears.
Yu Sui’an stared at his little one, and his soul and bones trembled with yearning. He wanted to pull Lin Yuan into his arms and comfort him well. But he wasn't able to touch him yet.
“En, I’m fine. Sui Sui stayed by my side the whole time, nothing could go wrong.”
Lin Yuan wriggled out of Xie Hanzhou’s arms and moved closer to Yu Sui’an. He raised his hand but then paused: “I…I want to touch you…”
Yu Sui’an looked at the trembling fingers near his face, and his heart swelled with warmth. He let out a soft laugh: “Baby, don’t rush. Give it a little more time, and then you can touch me however you want.”
The worry in Lin Yuan’s heart could only be comforted by physical contact, he needed to feel the warmth and existence of Yu Sui’an in front of him. In the end, he could only pinch the man’s clothes tightly, or stroke the ends of the other’s long, scattered hair.
Yu Sui’an enjoyed this feeling of being treasured by Lin Yuan. Being held in someone’s palm and carefully loved, no one would dislike it.
After a long time, Lin Yuan finally calmed down. He sat on the ground and suddenly started to cry.
He didn’t understand why the person he loved had to suffer so much.
Why was every world so cruel?
Seeing his little disciple’s tears, Xie Hanzhou frowned slightly, pulling Lin Yuan back into his arms. He whispered with worry: “What’s wrong? Your master is fine, and Yu Sui’an is fine too. Why are you crying? You should be happy.”
Yu Sui’an’s long fingers wiped away Lin Yuan’s tears, his fingertips were so warm they seemed to melt his heart: “He’s right. We’re both fine now. Sui Sui should be happy.”
Lin Yuan didn’t know what to say. He wiped his tears and choked up: “Don’t worry… I’ll… I’ll stop crying soon…”
Xie Hanzhou and Yu Sui’an exchanged a glance, both helpless. Why else would their little one cry if not for them?
Seeing Lin Yuan cry so sadly for them, their heart ached, but at the same time, the world seemed a little brighter at this time.
Lin Yuan cried until his voice was almost gone: “I… I don’t want to stay here anymore… It’s so… so dirty…”
“I… I’m also… really hungry…”
“I want to eat…”
Xie Hanzhou was endeared by his little disciple and chuckled lightly: “Ok, let’s leave. We’ll never come back.”
The original thoughts of claiming his little disciple within Frost City had long been forgotten. Now he wanted to go south with Lin Yuan, and indulge in flowers and pleasure in a place of eternal spring.
Five hundred miles south of Frost City was Illusion City, the largest city in the northern regions.
After entering the city, the three of them went to the most popular restaurant. Yu Sui’an immediately ordered their best dishes and wine.
When the food came, he didn’t eat immediately and instead said lazily: “Eat up, eat plenty. It’s this husband’s fault that my lovely wife is so hungry.”
Lin Yuan had already started stuffing his face, but upon hearing the words ‘lovely wife’, his small face immediately turned red. He grumbled softly: “We’re outside… don’t say things like that…”
“Say what? I don’t get it, Sui Sui tell me.” Yu Sui’an teased.
Lin Yuan pouted and didn’t want to pay attention to him: “I don’t know, I’m eating.”
The three of them stayed in Illusion City for seven or eight days, exploring and trying different delicacies. At night, all three of them shared the same bed. Xie Hanzhou held Lin Yuan from behind as he meditated, while Lin Yuan and Yu Sui’an faced each other, gradually getting closer.
For the next year, they never returned to Pure Jade Palace. They wandered from place to place, and Lin Yuan was also dedicated to his cultivation. Both Xie Hanzhou and Yu Sui’an taught him together, refining his swordsmanship to a remarkable level. His cultivation realm also advanced by two realms, ad his speed almost reached Xie Hanzhou’s in the past.
This night, Yu Sui’an, who could finally kiss Lin Yuan, pinned the youth down on the bed and kissed him for half an hour.
Among the three, Lin Yuan was the one who was the most easily fired up. His entire body felt boneless and hot.
Yu Sui’an couldn’t get enough, he wanted to devour his little liar.
Realizing that Lin Yuan was uncomfortable, Yu Sui’an hesitated, but he was reluctant to let go. After thinking for a moment, he still compromised and looked at Xie Hanzhou who was watching with a dark expression.
“Immortal Sovereign, you read the book I gave you, right? Use the method on page 13 to help our poor, lovely wife.”